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COBOL Link Page

You use the COBOL Link page in your project properties to link your native project to a run-time system and specify link parameters.
Note: The following settings apply to native projects only.
Output name
Specify a name for the output application file which can be different for the different configurations.
Note: This setting is disabled for native Link Library projects building to Multiple Libraries as each COBOL program in the project compiles to a .dll file with the same filename.
Entry point
Specify a name for the output application file which can be different for the different configurations.
Note: This setting is disabled for native Link Library projects as .dlls do not have a main entry point.

Run-time Model

Shared
Select this option to link the application to the shared run-time system. The run-time system is not linked into your executable files, but is loaded dynamically when your application is run. The run-time files must be located in the same directory as the application, or on the system PATH.

Select this option if you are building a modular application, or a DLL that will be called by a COBOL program.

Dynamic
Select this option to bind the application to a run-time system dynamically at run time. The COBOL run-time system files are located on the end-user's machine according to:
  • A run-time option in an application launch configuration file (<app-name>.exe.mfcfg).
  • If the option doesn't exist, a run-time option in a default application launch configuration file (mfdefault.exe.mfcfg).
  • If a default run-time option doesn't exist, settings specified during COBOL Server installation.
  • If no installation was run, the run-time binary files must be located in the same directory as the application, or on the system PATH.
Bind to current RTS only
Select this option to dynamically bind the application to a run-time system of the same version (or later) as your COBOL development system.

Application type

Console based
Select this if your application is console based.
Graphical
Select this if your application uses a graphical user interface.
Link with objs
Type the names of any .obj files you want to link with this system executable file. Alternatively, you can add them to the Project tree view, under the .exe file.
Link with libs
Type the names of any library (.lib) files you want to link with this system executable file. Alternatively, you can add them to the Project tree view, under the .exe file.
Include system programs
Select this option if you want any run-time system support modules required by your application to be automatically linked with it. Run-time support modules provide support for the following:
  • User-defined classes in SPECIAL NAMES paragraphs
  • EXTERNAL files and data
  • Enhanced ACCEPT and DISPLAY syntax

If you don't select this, you need to link any required support modules by adding them to your project.

If your application needs run-time support other than that listed above, it is loaded dynamically at run time.

Keep temporary files
Select this option if you don't want temporary files that were created when linking, to be deleted. Temporary files include import libraries, definition (.def) files, and .lnk files.
Generate map file
Select this option to create a .map file when your application is rebuilt. The Linker map file contains information such as a timestamp, a preferred loading address, a list of public entry points used in the linked object files, and a fixup (load offset) table.
Display verbose output
Select this option if you want all notes and messages from the Linker to be displayed in the Output window. Messages that use the LNK prefix are from the Linker, and are explained in more detail in the Microsoft Win32 Software Development Kit.
Additional directives
Type any additional parameters you want to pass to the Cbllink utility.
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